Not just okonomiyaki and takoyaki—here you can sample the most authentic Osaka street snacks all in one spot—Dotonbori Tako Hachi...

Dotonbori, a place that’s almost synonymous with Osaka’s landmarks, is filled with classic sights that embody the city’s character. For most visitors to Osaka, this is probably the first stop on their itinerary. With an endless array of delicious food, which eatery best represents Osaka? The old shop we’re introducing today is sure to satisfy even the most discerning foodies.?? At Tako Hachi, you can enjoy some of the most famous and authentically Osaka flavors nationwide, from takoyaki and yakisoba to okonomiyaki.

The main branch of Tako Hachi in Dotonbori has three floors: the first floor has a takeout window, while the second and third floors accommodate more guests who want to sit and enjoy their meals at leisure.

The takoyaki-making counter is right in front of you. Amid the vendors’ calls, the little balls gradually take shape under their skilled hands, filling the air with mouthwatering aromas.

    You can see the Dianping (Chinese review platform) sign for Tako Hachi displayed here. In addition, it was rated as a highly recommended shop for 2018. Among nearly ten similar stores on the same street, earning such praise is definitely well-deserved.

Though not very large, the shop has a lot of character and is clean and cozy. The first-floor corridor is lined with long tables, and the walls feature bold, large-scale canvas paintings.

The seating on the second floor is all on one side, with more large Japanese-style murals on the walls and even hooks for hanging coats—very thoughtful.

The third-floor seating consists of face-to-face dining tables, so although the exterior doesn’t give it away, the place actually has quite a lot of capacity.

The menu thoughtfully includes both Japanese and foreign language versions. The foreign language version offers various languages including Chinese and English, and even if the names of the dishes aren’t self-explanatory, many are followed by a list of ingredients. So you can confidently order whatever looks good.

Finally, it’s time for the exciting food part. Our goal this time was to try as many authentic Osaka street snacks as possible, so we ordered a ton—the shop really does have everything, and the selection is incredibly complete.

First up, the must-have takoyaki. Aside from the version we ordered, covered in sauce, this shop also offers a “naked takoyaki” without sauce, so you can taste the true essence of takoyaki.

The takoyaki here is on the soft and chewy side, and the flavor has nicely seeped into the balls, making them really tasty. And unlike typical sauces, the one served here isn’t overly strong—it’s mild, and pairs perfectly with the softness of the balls. Inside each one is a big, springy piece of octopus, making these little balls an absolutely divine mix of savory and rich flavors.

Next up is this green onion-filled okonomiyaki, which looked delicious right from the start. The chef placed it directly on the iron plate in front of us, and watching the steam rise was genuinely comforting.

Using a small spatula to cut off a piece, the soft pancake paired with perfectly grilled green onions, and the simple seasoning gave the dish a refreshing feel. Then I added a bit of the chili powder provided by the shop—and wow, even I, someone who doesn’t usually like green onions, perked right up. The onions, heated on the iron plate, became sweet and cooked through but not limp from overcooking. That level of heat control clearly didn’t happen overnight.

Then we had this very Osaka-style Dotonbori yakisoba. The noodles are different from your usual yakisoba—they’re a bit thicker.

By this point, I realized why this place tastes so good: the sauces are excellent. Whether it’s yakisoba or okonomiyaki, sometimes people find Japanese sauces too sweet or overpowering—but not here. The flavors are just right—you can taste the sauce without it overwhelming the natural flavors of the ingredients. Even the red pickled ginger garnish is perfectly balanced.

Next, we ordered some ankake tamagoyaki-style medaka balls, or “Akashi-yaki.” It was my first time trying them, and when I saw the pale yellow balls and two bowls of broth, I had no idea what to expect.

The staff then explained that we were supposed to put the included ginger and cilantro into the broth, and then dip the Akashi-yaki into it. I couldn’t wait to try one.

Akashi-yaki are also very soft and tender. The dipping broth, which seemed flavorless at first glance, turned out to be incredibly savory. The Akashi-yaki itself had a rich egg flavor, and when paired with the umami of the broth—wow, it was unexpectedly delicious. So pleasantly surprised, I ate two in a row. If I hadn’t needed to save room for more food, I would’ve finished a whole plate myself.

All foodies know the saying: cheese is power. So naturally, I had to get the cheese potato special okonomiyaki. Just the name sounds amazing. The ingredients in this cheese potato okonomiyaki can be chosen—for example, seafood or beef—but if you want a bit of everything, you’ve got to go for the special edition. This one comes with both seafood and pork and beef, giving you a bit of everything in one go.

Just look at that stretchy cheese—who could resist?

Finally, there’s the special Dotonbori okonomiyaki. Like the cheese potato version, it’s another highly recommended special dish loaded with seafood, pork, and other rich ingredients. On top, there’s even a soft-poached egg—now that’s love.

The flavor goes without saying, and it’s part of the “all-you-can-add ingredients” series—with whole shrimp and big chunks of squid covering the entire pancake. Absolutely explosively delicious.

Let’s take one last look at how all the snacks we ordered were arranged on the iron plates—a feast for the eyes. Even though we were all stuffed after eating so much, we still weren’t ready to call it quits.

If you, like me, want to try almost all the iconic Osaka snacks in one place, don’t hesitate—Tako Hachi will definitely not disappoint.